Historical Interpretations

Question 1

How was Hitler taking advantage of situations as they present themselves in Austria?

Answer 1

• Timing of Anschluss with Austria in 1938 driven by activities of Austrian Nazis
• Italy’s preoccupation in Spain
• British and French domestic crisis

Question 2

What did Hitler do as soon as he was appointed Chancellor on January 20, 1933?

Answer 2

Began to reverse the Treaty of Versailles, including withdrawing Germany from the League of Nations and disarmament conference and rearmament

Question 3

What does Hitler sign with Britain in 1935?

Answer 3

The Naval agreement- allows Germany to expland its navy

Question 4

What did Hitler outline at the Hossbach conference?

Answer 4

Three war scenarios to take action after the period 1943-45

Question 5

How does Mein Kampf and Zwites Buch suggest Hitler had a master plan?

Answer 5

Outline foreign policy aims which Hitler made a reality after 1933 e.g. overturning the Treaty of Versailles, uniting German-speaking people, the need for lebensraum and expansion into Eastern Europe

Question 6

What did Hitler introduce in March 1935?

Answer 6

Conscription and rearmament programme

Question 7

How many infantry divisions did Germany have by 1939?

Answer 7

103

Question 8

How many tanks did Germany have by 1939?

Answer 8

3000

Question 9

How many fighter and bomber planes did Germany have by 1939?

Answer 9

2000

Question 10

How was Hitler acting opportunistically when remilitarising the Rhineland?

Answer 10

• Mussolini had invaded Abyssinia
• The League of Nations weren’t taking action
• Britain was sympathetic (following appeasement)
• France was preoccupied with the upcoming election

Question 11

How did Hitler begin overturning the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 11

• Withdrew from the League of Nations and disarmament talks (1933)
• Remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936)
• Anschluss with Austria (1938)

Question 12

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Answer 12

Hitler entered a non-aggression pact with Russia as a temporary stategy to pacify the West and increase his confidence to pursue a successful invasion of Poland

Question 13

In what ways is the Nazi foreign policy just a continuation of previous German foreign policies?

Answer 13

• Hitler kept Weimar foreign office officials in place until 1938
• In propaganda, Hitler positioned himself alongside former leaders of Germany and called his regime the ‘Third Reich’
• Hitler’s aim of overturning the Treaty of Versailles and rebuilding Germany’s army had been an aim of the Weimar Republic
• Hitler drew on ideas of race circulating in the 19th and 20th centuries to inform his foreign policy e.g. Social Darwinism
• The Weimar government had already began secret rearmament on Soviet soil